PIP rates, Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, explained
What PIP pays, how Universal Credit housing costs work, and who the benefit cap hits. Written like a knowledgeable friend, not a government form.
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View all guides →Universal Credit If You Earn £1,000 or £1,500 a Month
Worked 2026/27 examples show the earnings deduction with no work allowance, the housing-cost allowance and the higher allowance.
Read guideUniversal Credit Explained Simply
Universal Credit replaced several older benefits with one monthly payment. Here is how it actually works, in plain English.
Read guideThe Benefit Cap: Who It Hits and the Exemptions That Lift It
The benefit cap quietly limits what a non-working household can receive — but a modest amount of work, or the right disability or carer award, switches it off entirely.
Read guideHow Much Is PIP? The Rates and How Components Combine
The confirmed 2026/27 PIP rates, every component combination, four-weekly payments, points thresholds and the extra help an award may unlock.
Read guidePension Credit: The £4,000 Top-Up a Million Pensioners Miss
Pension Credit tops low retirement incomes up to a guaranteed level — yet a huge share of eligible pensioners never claim the average £4,000 a year it is worth.
Read guideHousing Benefit Explained
Housing Benefit has largely been replaced by Universal Credit, but it still applies in specific situations. Here is how it works now.
Read guideNot sure what you might be entitled to?
Start with the housing-help route checker if rent or a mortgage is the problem. Use the PIP rates checker or the Universal Credit payment builder to see how the published rates add up. We are not a full household calculator. For a personalised check across benefits, free independent tools like Turn2us and entitledto are the reliable starting point.